Mother Nature won't wait for politicians

A January National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report says the last 12 years (2000-2012) all rank globally among the 14 warmest in 133 years of record keeping.

The western and central United States persists in one of our worst droughts ever. A recent U.S. government National Climate Assessment draft report said, "Climate change is already disrupting the health, homes and other facets of daily America life ... these disruptions will continue in the future."

Meanwhile, the U.S. is opening up a bonanza of fossil fuels development -- drilling oil and gas, fracking lower CO2-producing shale and using coal reserves to create jobs, economic growth and energy independence.

President Obama has made climate change a priority of his second term, calling it a moral obligation to our children and future generations. This is also an acknowledgement that realistically there will be no significant bipartisan legislation or movement on climate change over the next four years.

Mother Nature won't wait.

Climate change remains the most critical issue of the 21st century, and kicking the can down the road will only make it worse. JOHN CURRIEMECHANICSBURG